The present disclosure relates to a separator for the clarification and/or separation of liquids and a method for clarification of multi-phase separation of a product.
Nozzle-type separators of known construction are shown, for example, by Japanese Patent Document JP 62-117649 A of the above-mentioned type, and Technical Specification Sheet: CH-30 GOF Separator-Nozzle-Centrifugator, Alfa Laval AB, Printing PD 4149 en/0110. The exterior parts of such separator drums are produced, for example, by using forging methods.
Furthermore, U.S. Patent Document U.S. Pat. No. 2,286,354 shows a separator with mutually screwed-together massive drum bottom parts and drum top parts.
U.S. Patent Document U.S. Pat. No. 2,017,734 illustrates a separator without a solids discharge in a construction as a separator.
German Patent Document DE 27 60 069 C2 shows a pendulous flat-bottom centrifuge.
German Patent Document DE 89 05 985 U1 shows a basket centrifuge.
German Patent Document DE 699 929 shows a centrifugal drum with a rotating ring integrated in the drum construction.
German Patent Document DE 169 365 C shows a centrifugal device for the production of starch.
In addition, it is known from German Patent Document DE 74 35 598 U to create a centrifugal drum for a continuously operating sugar centrifuge, in which case the centrifugal drum has a drum shell which consists of one piece and is created in a rolling operation from a thin circular special-steel plate blank which has a wall thickness of 3.5 mm. The drum has a maximal diameter of 1,100 mm.
In the case of centrifuges of known construction, there is the demand for new constructive methods for improving the clarification and separation results by separators, particularly with respect to the processing of products whose particle size is to a large degree caused by mechanical stress or by agglomeration effects caused over time.
The present disclosure addresses the above-noted demand.
The present disclosure relates to a separator for the clarification and/or separation of liquids. The separator includes a double-cone drum, which has a conical drum top part made of metal and a conical drum bottom part made of metal. Also included is a disk stack including a stack of conical separating disks being arranged in the drum. The drum top part and the drum bottom part are made of metal plates and the largest inside diameter of the drum is greater than 1,000 mm. At least the drum bottom part, relative at least to an exterior surface of a drum shell and in an axial direction, has at least two drum shell sections with respective, different angles of taper α1, α2 with respect to an axis of rotation of the drum.
Construction of the separator is simple and cost-effective. As a result of two different angles of taper, on the outer circumference and on the inner circumference of the drum bottom par, a stable construction is created which, in contrast to the state of the art, may also be constructed as a deep-drawn part.
As a result of two cones in the drum bottom part, a stiff formation is created whose natural frequency may be above the rotational operating speed. To this extent, the separator, according to the present disclosure, is operated at a rotational speed which is more than 30% below the natural frequency. Even an overhung bearing of the drum can be implemented.
A stressing of the particles of the product to be processed in the “large” drum is very low, so that also sensitive products can be optimally processed.
The diameter of the drum amounts to 1,000 mm or more. Constructions with a drum diameter of 1,500 mm or more are also conceivable.
Preferably the ratio between the largest inside diameter D1 of the drum and the thickness or strength of the metal plates of the drum top part and of the drum bottom part is less than 1/50, particularly less than 1/100.
The energy demand can as a rule be lowered in comparison to existing constructions.
The noise emissions are also considerably reduced.
The drum top part and/or the drum bottom part are manufactured from metal plates by forming, in a non-tensioning manner, for example, by deep-drawing or pressing or roller tooling or the like.
By largely using metal plates of standard quality, that is, of a quality suitable for deep drawing or for bending or pressing operations for the production, the manufacturing costs are clearly reduced because the use of expensive forged pieces made of special materials is not required.
The volume of the drum, at a diameter of 1,000 mm or more amounts to at least 300 liters and, at a diameter of 2,000 or more, to at least 2,000 liters.
Since the radius is linearly entered into the formula for computing the centrifugal acceleration, it becomes clear that the rotational speed of the drum with such a large diameter or volume only needs to be relatively low in order to obtain a clarifying or separating effect which corresponds to that of a small separator at high rotational speeds.
The distributor body tapers in the upward direction, bounding distributor ducts in the downward direction. The distributor ducts are bounded upwardly by a conical covering and, in the circumferential direction, are bounded by ribs between the covering and the distributor body.
The present disclosure also relates to a method for the clarification or two- or three-phase separation of a particle-sensitive product, such as a product which has a sensitive reaction to acceleration effects, such as shear and pressure. In such a case, the separating operation takes place by a separator, according to the present disclosure, at a circumferential speed at the largest inside diameter between 10 and 50 m/sec. In this manner, the product can be subjected without any problem to the desired clarifying or separating operation. The resulting dwell time of the product in the drum has a positive influence on the clarification and separation effect.
Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.